Christmas Parade 2016In order to ensure that participants and spectators can all safely enjoy the Christmas Parade that will begin at 6:30 p.m. on Thursday, Dec. 1, you are asked to remember the following: 1. Solicitation and vendors will not be allowed on city right-of-ways during the Christmas Parade. Ordinance 1802 prohibits any solicitation/vendor sales on city right-of-ways without a permit. The ordinance also prohibits any solicitation/vendor sales on city r...

Arkansas Tech Ag students to sell poinsettiasStudents from the Arkansas Tech University Department of Agriculture will put their fall semester work on display during a poinsettia sale at the Arkansas Tech Greenhouses on Thursday, Dec. 1, and Friday, Dec. 2. Poinsettias will be available for purchase from 8 a.m.-5 p.m. both days. Proceeds from the sale will be used by the Arkansas Tech Department of Agriculture to purchase greenhouse plants and supplies. Dr. Jim Collins, professor of agri...

PPP pays fine, applies for permitsNearly four months after Premium Protein Products (PPP) on Bernice Avenue shut down due to a fire, the rendering plant has paid a fine to the city and has submitted a permit application to a state agency. Russellville City Attorney Trey Smith said the plant's lawyer pleaded no contest last month and paid a $500 civil penalty fine. Also last month, according to a legal advertisement in The Courier, the Arkansas Department of Environmental Quali...

Clarksville finalizes bond paperworkCLARKSVILLE — The Clarksville School Board met in a special session on Monday to finalize bond sales, approve a migrant grant and consider computer bids. Previously, the board put $9.9 million worth of bonds that was brought about from by the millage election on the open market for bids. Superintendent David Hopkins said the board was anticipating a rate bid of more than 4 percent, but Financial Capital Market, a bank in Tennessee won the bid ...

Commission passes preliminary platPOTTSVILLE — The Pottsville Planning and Zoning Commission met on Monday to pass a preliminary plat and reviewed two items scheduled for a public hearing. A preliminary plat was passed by the commission for Richard Penn for the final building and minor subdivision on Pine Ridge Road in Pottsville. Two items, both scheduled for a public hearing on Dec. 5, were also reviewed by the commission. The first item is to rezone property on Pine Ridge R...

Vitamin D deficiency is widely overestimated, doctors cautionDoctors are warning about vitamin D again, and it's not the "we need more" news you might expect. Instead, they say there's too much needless testing and too many people taking too many pills for a problem that few people truly have. The nutrient is crucial for strong bones and may play a role in other health conditions, though that is far less certain. Misunderstandings about the recommended amount of vitamin D have led to misinterpretation o...

Atkins School Board approves bonusesATKINS — The Atkins School Board met on Monday for a work session followed by the regular school board meeting. Superintendent Joe Fisher said the work session included administration and their support team. The session included setting goals for the next school year and focused on four areas that maximize use of district revenue sources to provide all students with a pathway to graduate successfully, provide a quality learning environment, ma...

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Patricia Spears pspears@couriernews.comThe Courier Your Messenger For The River Valley

City renews $90,000 agreement with AllianceThe Russellville City Council called a special meeting Tuesday after its Finance Committee and Agenda Prep meetings and voted 6-0 to approve an agreement with the Arkansas Valley Alliance for Economic Development (AVAED) to provide economic development services for the city. Mayor Randy Horton said Alderwoman Freddie Harris, who could not attend Tuesday's meeting since she was working at Pope County Election Headquarters, had met with City Att...

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BY SEAN INGRAMsean@couriernews.comThe Courier Your Messenger For The River Valley

Woman who says she's Jesus arrested for knife attacksShannon V. Armstrong, 33, was arrested on Monday at Saint Mary's Regional Medical center after allegedly attempting to stab nurses with a pair of scissors in one labor and delivery room of the hospital. According to a report provided by the Russellville Police Department, Armstrong claimed she was Jesus and everything was "OK because the demons were gone." An officer arrived on scene at approximately 7:09 p.m. after 911 received a call concern...

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BY TRAVIS SIMPSON
simpson@couriernews.comThe Courier Your Messenger For The River Valley

Challenge Coins tell His-storySalute to Freedom (STF), a local group that works to honor military veterans, has minted several challenge coins for those who have served in the military since 2005. Challenge coins are coins typically seen in the military, bear an organization’s insignia and are suppose to be carried by members at all times. While there are a few legends of how challenge coins were started, one in particular noted of a squadron’s lieutenant from the WWI era ...

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Patricia Spears pspears@couriernews.comThe Courier Your Messenger For The River Valley

Honorè speaks to students, communityTHE COURIER / Joshua Mashon Honorè speaks to community The Russellville School District hosted two informative presentations Wednesday by Lt. Gen. Russel L. Honorè at The Center for The Arts for Russellville High School students and the community. RSD also hosted a meet-and-greet reception with community leaders and event sponsors before the evening presentation. Honorè's speech focused on becoming a better leader and preparing for the future....

Juvenile diabetes awareness week at RJHSRussellville Junior High School (RJHS) students have been participating in several fundraising activities this week to raise awareness about juvenile (type 1) diabetes. RJHS Student Council members will be selling blue wrist bands for $1 and blue "Shoot For A Cure" t-shirts for $10. All proceeds will go to the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation (JDRF). On Monday, a video featuring RJHS students talking about their life with Type 1 Diabetes ...

Name change:Submitted report POTTSVILLE -- Conway Regional Health System became the owner and manager of Conway Regional Medical Clinic-Pottsville, effective Oct. 14. While the name of the clinic has officially changed from the Pottsville Primary Care Clinic, the staff will remain the same. Advanced Practice Registered Nurses Carol Townsend and Natalie Hill and the rest of the existing clinic staff are now employees of Conway Regional, according to Billy ...

Local shares support for America after electionBY PATRICIA SPEARS pspears@couriernews.com DARDANELLE -- Kenneth Knuckles displayed his support for America on Wednesday, following the results of Tuesday's general election. He walked with an American flag from State Highway 28 between Dardanelle and Mount George with City Hall in Dardanelle set as his destination. "This whole election has been vicious as far as people being anti-Trump and anti-Hillary," Knuckles said. "We're in America. We n...

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BY PATRICIA SPEARSpspears@couriernews.comThe Courier Your Messenger For The River Valley

Absentees all counted, results holdThe Pope County Election Commission (PCEC) finished counting over 400 absentee ballots Wednesday at Election Headquarters. All the Pope County races still had the same turnout, with some additional totals. A former Russellville alderman will return to the City Council on Jan. 1, 2017, while another alderman retained his seat and a familiar face will join the council at the first of the year. According to unofficial results, Mark Tripp, former ...

Stop yields over 537 lbs. of marijuanaA traffic stop near the 94 exit ramp on I-40 yielded nearly a million dollars in marijuana on Monday. According to a report provided by the Arkansas State Police, over 537 pounds of marijuana was recovered. Michael Romero, 25, and Margarita Hurtado, 23, who appeared in felony bond hearings on Wednesday inside the Pope County Courthouse, were pulled over at approximately 1:35 p.m. on Monday for crossing over the solid white line, the report sai...

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BY TRAVIS SIMPSON
simpson@couriernews.comThe Courier Your Messenger For The River Valley

Support for AmericaDARDANELLE — Kenneth Knuckles displayed his support for America on Wednesday, following the results of Tuesday’s general election. He walked with an American flag from State Highway 28 between Dardanelle and Mount George with City Hall in Dardanelle set as his destination. “This whole election has been vicious as far as people being anti-Trump and anti-Hillary,” Knuckles said. “We’re in America. We need to be united instead of divided. My whol...

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Patricia Spears pspears@couriernews.comThe Courier Your Messenger For The River Valley

Arkansas River Valley Tri-Peaks review inquiriesThe Arkansas River Valley Tri-Peaks Tourism Association, a division of tourism of the Arkansas Department of Parks and Tourism, recently met in a full-board session to review travel inquiries and upcoming grant deadlines. Tri-Peaks covers six counties — Perry, Conway, Yell, Pope, Johnson and Logan. Stephanie Beerman, executive vice president of the Russellville Chamber of Commerce, informed the board that inquiries of travel to the surrounding...

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Patricia Spears pspears@couriernews.comThe Courier Your Messenger For The River Valley